Method of making channel bodies



Jan. 5, 1932. c. M. CLARKE METHOD OF MAKING CHANNEL BODIES Filed Feb.15, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet Bay/( 17mm Gee M G/afi/fe I 1932- c. M. CLARKEMETHOD OF MAKING CHANNEL BODIES- 3 sheets-s 2 Filed Feb. 13, 1928 NOWwQN nil a WON Jan. 5, 1932.

c. M. CLARKE METHOD OF MAKING CHANNEL BODIES Filed Feb. 13, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 5 is attained.

Patented Jan. 5, 1932 cncrn M. CLARKE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS:

. METHOD or MAKING crmnnnr. :eonrns Application filed February 13, 1928.Serial No. 253,805.

My present invention, whilst applicable to a variety of other uses, is.more particularly designed for the production of insulating coveringsfor pipes. Such insulating coverings consist ordinarily. of twosemicylindrical bodies of a size adapted to snugly inclose the pipe tobe. insulated, the sections of the covering being ordinarily connectedtogether by a layer of cheese-cloth, canvas or the like.

Insulating pipe coverings, particularly coverings formed of asbestos,are now commonly made by winding a sheet (usually a corrugated. sheet)of asbestos around a mandrel until covering of the desired thicknessAfter the covering is thus formed, it is dried or baked and subsequentlybisected longitudinally to form semi-cylindrical halves or bodiesadapted to fit about a pipe of corresponding size. In practice, variousobjections are found to this method of manufacturing insulatingcoverings. Not only is the method a slow and expensive one, but when theasbestos sheet is wound about the mandrel, there necessarily exists alap or abrupt edge where the winding of the insulating sheet'begins uponthe interior of the covering, and a similar lap or abrupt edge where thesheet ends upon the outer surface of the covering, and particularly arethese objections found to exist where the insulating covering is formedof comparatively thick sheets of asbestos that have been previouslycorrugated in order to produce air cells between the several laps of thesheets.

By my present invention, the objections incident to prior methods offorming insulating pipe coverings are avoided and not only is a superiorcovering produced this is effected with simplicity and efficiency and ata very material saving in cost of manufacture.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and hereinafter described, I have set forth anapparatus especially designed for making insulating pipe coverings, butI wish it distinctly understood that the invention is susceptible of farwider application and that the details of construction describedthereby, but

may be varied widely without departing from'the scope of the invention,and that features of the invention may b employed without its adoptionas an entirety. 5

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a View in vertical longitudinal section through an apparatusembodying my invention, and" Figure 2 is-a similar view showing thedischarge end of the apparatus omitted from Fig. 1. Figures 3 and tare,views similar to Figs l and 2 but showing a modified embodiment of theinvention.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view showing a portion of one oftheformer-carry ng chains and parts associated therewith; Fig

ure 6 is a detail View inside elevationshowing the guide channelsfor thejournals of th foriner-rolls'and parts associated therewith. Figure 7 isan enlarged detail view in vertical section on line 77 of Fig. 6. VFigure 8 is an enlarged view in'vertical section'on line 8-8 of Fig. 2.Figure 9 is a detail view in elevation showing a link of one of thecarrier chains andthe means for supporting the former rolls thereon.Figure'lO is a perspective view showing a portion of a semi-cylindricalpipe covering adapted to be produced by my invention, and Figure 11 is aview showing a different form of channel-shaped body adapted tobeproduced in accordance with my invention.

In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the pipecoverings are produced by superimposing in desirednumbers a series ofsheets or layers 1, 2 and 3 preferably of corrugated asbestos or likematerial, upon the inner and outer surfaces" of which areimposed plainor flat sheets 4 and" 5, also preferably of asbestos. The corrugated as-.bes tos sheets 1, 2 and3 are. shown as rolls carried by suitablespindles that will be conveniently supported in manner free to revolve,and similarly the facing sheets 4; and 5 will be arranged in roll formmounted upon spindles suit-ably supported. Above the rolls or sheets ofasbestos'will be conveniently sustained cement-applying rollers 6(revolving in tanks 7) for carrying'aj suitable cement, such as silicateof soda, by which the several sheets will be united together to' form acomposite sheet W, before said composite sheet is passed into themechanism whereby channel-shaped bodies or corrugations are formed insuch composite sheet. A roll 6 supports or guides the bottom facingsheet 5. v As shown, each of the individual sheets 1, 2 and 3 ofasbestos or like material is made of a corrugated sheet faced with aplain or flat sheet, the purpose of this construction being to form aircells in the finished pipe covering. In the preferred form of theinvention, the composite sheet is shaped to produce the semicylindricalor channel-shaped bodies adapted for pipe coverings by a series offormers or forming rolls 9 and 10 that are preferably supported bycarrier chains 11 and 12 that pass over and are driven by sprocketwheels 15 and 16 for the lower carrier chains, it be ing understood thatthere will be sprocket wheels 13 and 14 and sprocket wheels 15 and 16for the chains at opposite sides of the machine. In order to synchronizethe movement of the carrier chains 11 and 12, the shafts 17 and 18 ofthe sprocket wheels 13', and 14 are united by suitable gears 19.

In Fig. 9 of the drawings, I have shown the preferred manner of mountingthe forming rolls upon the carrier chains. By reference to Fig. 9 itwill be seen that each of the carrier chains 11 and 12'is formed of aseries of links 20, pivoted together as at 21, these links 20 being ofproper length to be engaged by the teeth of the sprocket wheels wherebythe carrier chains are supported and driven. To the links 20 of thecarrier chains are pivotally 'mountedarms 22 (see also Fig. 7.) in thefree ends of which will be journaled or revolubly sustained the formingrolls 9, it being understood that the forming rolls 10 for the lowerchain will be similarly supported. As shown, the arms 22 are bifurcatedat their lower ends, where they straddle and are pivoted, as at 23, tothe links 20 Each of the links 20 will be provided with projecting parts24 carrying studs 25 on which are revolubly mounted friction guideWheels or sleeves 26 that are adapted to enter the guide channels 30 or31, as shown in Fig. 6. These guide channels 30 and 31, which aredesigned respectively for the links of the upper and lower carrierchains, are formed as open-sided or U shaped channels, and attheirentrance ends are preferably expanded, as at 32, to permit .the frictionrolls or sleeves 26 to enter freely therein. When the friction rolls orsleeves 26 are within the channels, they will serve to hold the formingrolls 9 (or 10) in proper operative position, and when the frictionrolls or sleeves 26 pass from the exit ends of the channels 30. or 31,the arms 22 will be free to turn upon the pivots 23 so as to preventdanger of the formlng rolls 9 distorting the corrugated or chan- V neledcomposite sheet. The shafts of the carrier chains will be supported bysuitable standards, such as 35, 36, and 37, which will also serve tosustain the guide channels 30 and 31 secured thereto (see Fig. 7

The forming rolls 9 and 10 are arranged upon their respective carrierchains and as the chains are driven in opposite direction, the formerrolls will intermesh, as clearly shown in the drawings, and as the rollsthus intermesh they will form a composite sheet W, with a series oftransverse channels or corrugations. Inasmuch as the rolls 9 and 10 arefree to revolve upon their axes, the danger of tearing or straining theindividual sheets as they pass between the rolls is avoided, since therolls being free to revolve will tend to compensate for any inequalityin the strain between the upper and the lower surface of the compositesheet as it passes laterally above and below the forming rolls 9 and 10.As the cement that unites the several individual sheets, 1, 2, etc. asthey enter between the forming rolls is still wet or unset, the sheetsmay s ip or shift slightly with respect to each other as they pass aboveand below the rolls, this slipping of the sheets being aided by the factthat the rolls are r-evolubly mounted. Preferably, the upper carrierchain 11 is shor er than the lower carri r chain 12 and both or one ofthese carrier chains lead into a suitable drying chamber or kiln 10wherein the composite sheet V? will be thoroughly dried or baked,causing the cement therein to set, and the channels of the sheet toretain their proper form. The drying chamber or kiln 40 will be ofsufficient length to thoroughly dry the composite sheet before its exittherefrom. Preferably, the lower carrier chain 12 leads to aconsiderable distance within the drying chamber and as the compositesheet leads to the rolls 10 of the lower carrier chain, it will passonto a suitable conveyor belt 12 that passes over the rollers or pulleys43 supported by suitable standards 44: and 45. As shown, the compositesheet W, as it issues from the exit end of the drying chamber 40, isreceived upon a suitable table or support 46 that is sustained byconvenient standards or supports 17. Beneath the table 16 extends atransverse bar 48 the ends of which are sustained by standards 17 andwithin a guideway formed in the top of this transverse bar is arrangedthe frame 50 of a saw 51 that is' attached to the upwardly exten dingarms 52 of the saw frame. As shown, the saw frame has connected thereto(see Fig. 8) an abutment rod 54 to which reciprocating v motion has beenimparted from a power driven wheel 55. Obviously, if desired, a band sawmight be employed. instead of the reciprocatin saw illustrated in thedrawings.

The purpose of the saw 51 is to cut through the walls of the channels orcorrugations formed in the composite sheet IV and this saw will be sopositioned as to accurately sever the composite sheet upon what, for conbe seen by reference to Figs. 3

1 term the parting line of the sheet,-that is to say, the line on whichthe composite sheet is to be severed in order to insure that when thewalls of the corrugations of the sheet are cut through, there will beproduced the individual semicylindrical channels adapted to lit over thepipe to be insulated. In order to hold the composite sheet lV down uponthe table L6, there is provided a presser bar or supported by arms 57pivoted upon a rod 58 extending between the ends of the standards 45(see Fig. 8).

In the machine above described, my inven tion illustrated as havingforming rolls adagted form channels or corrugations in venience,

the compositesheet W of uniform sizeand when the composite sheet issevered along its parting line, the semi-cylindrical channels resultingtherefrom are adapted for one size of pipe only. In the preferredembodiment of my invention more particularly illustrated in Figs. 3 and4: of the drawings, the apparatus is intended for producingchannel-shaped or semi-cylindrical bodies of different sizes when thecorrugated sheet is severed upon its parting line. In this form of theinvention, the upper carrier chain 11 has mounted thereon, in mannerhereinbefore described, form ing rolls 9' of uniform diameter, while thelower carrier chain 12has mounted thereon forming rolls 10, 10 lO 'and10 of difierent diameters. /Vith this construction, it will and 4 thatchannels or corrugations of different sizes will be imparted to thecomposite sheet W, the

sizes corresponding in number to the several of forming rolls uponthe'lower carrier chain 12. Inasmuch, however, as the forming rolls 9 ofthe upper carrier chain are of uniform diameter, the channels orcorrugations extending below the parting line of the composite sheet (asindicated by dotted line K, Fig. l) will be of uniform diameter so thatthey will rest evenlyupon the carrier belt 42 and upon the table 46,while the channels or corrugations above the parting line X will be ofdifferent sizes and hence will be adapted, when the walls of thechannels have been severed by the saw 51, as coverings for pipes ofdifferent sizes. By reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings, it will be seenhow the pivotal mounting of the links 22 carrying the forming rollsallow these rolls to yield and lift the corrugations or channels of thecomposite sheet without danger of distorting the same. 7

in Fig. 10 of the drawings is illustrated a semi-cylindrical channel orbody produced in accordance with my invention and adapted to formone-half of an insulating pipe cover- 1 ing and it will be seen that thepipe covering thus produced is entirely free from laps or abruptshoulders either upon its inner or outer surfaces. Obvlously, theinvention can foot 56 that may be set forth may be varied,

be employed for producing channel-shaped bodies of d'fferent forms andfor various purposes. Thus,.inlfig. 11.1 have shownpolygonal-shapedchannels or bodies which when nested together and suitably heavy stockmay be cemented or otherwise suitably attached to the upper and lowersurfaces of the channels to produce a smooth surface on the finishedproduct.

Details of the method and apparatus above and features of the inventionmay be employed without its adoption as an entirety. Thus for examplethe feature of forming channel-shaped bodies from asheet made ofsuperposed plies ofma-. terial cemented together by molding the sheetbefore the cement is allowed to dry or set, will be found advantageousregardless of the manner in which the molding or severing of the sheetis effected.

I claim as my invention 1. The method of making channel-shaped bodiesthat consists in forming a sheet with a plurality of channels thereinand thereafter severing the walls of the channels.

2'. The method of bodies that consistsin forming a sheet with aplurality of channels extending transversely of the sheet and thereaftersevering the walls of the channels.

3.v The method of making channel-shaped. bodies that consists in forminga sheet with channels extending alternately in opposite directions fromthe parting line'of the sheet and thereafter severing the sheet alongsaid parting line.

l. The method of making channel-shaped bodies that consists in forming asheet with channels of different sizes extending in opposite directionsfrom the parting line of the 7. The method of making channelshaped.

bodies that consists in uniting a series of superposed sheets, thenforming the resultmg composite sheet with channels extending fromopposite sides of the parting line of the sheet, then subjecting thecomposite sheet to making channel-shaped a drying action, and finallysevering the sheet upon said parting line. 7

8. The method of making channel-shaped bodies that consists in cementingtogether a series of superposed sheets, then, before the cement is set,forming the resulting composite sheet with channels, then drying thesheet, and finally severing the Walls of the channels.

CECIL M. CLARKE.

